James Moody was born in 1826, the son of James Moody and Phoebe Baker. his parents were proprietors of the Anchor Inn in Basingstoke and his father was also a Cabinet Maker. By 1841 James was a Cabinet Maker’s apprentice.

He married Amelia Hedges in 1850 at Bishopstone Church, Wiltshire. Amelia was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Hedges, who by 1841 were living at West Brook in Bishopstone, Wiltshire.She was born about 1824. At the age of 7 in 1831, Amelia sewed a sampler with the verse:

James and Amelia had four children:

Family Tree of James Moody and Amelia Hedges

Amelia died on July 10th 1857 aged 33 after a short illness and her daughter Amelia died on August 13th following.

James appears to have married Amelia’s sister, Emma Hedges, in Lambeth in the autumn of 1858.